


Poise

by Measured



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Community: cottoncandy_bingo, F/F, Femslash February, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-20
Updated: 2015-02-20
Packaged: 2018-03-13 21:52:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3397628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Measured/pseuds/Measured
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"A proper lady knows how to keep herself intact even when fighting in the wilderness," Maribelle said.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Poise

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SaraJaye](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/gifts).



> cottoncandy_bingo: Compliments. For Sara, who I owed stuff to. Also Femslash February, which I didn't think I'd finish anything for in time. With any luck, there'll be one more of this pair if I can finish it before the month is over.
> 
> Betaed by Multiversecafe.

"A proper lady knows how to keep herself intact even when fighting in the wilderness," Maribelle said. 

The tent was not intact, and nor was Lissa, for that matter. Her face was covered in soot from the campfire explosion that Ricken helped along, twigs in her hair from tracking down Nowi, and grass stains over her knees from trying to get a cat with Henry from under some bushes. The bow at the back had ripped and almost torn of entirely, and trailed after her in a forlorn drag.

There were scullery maids cleaner than Lissa, and that was a travesty.

Lissa brushed at her skirts, pushing away bits of grass and leaves. "Maribelle! I didn't get a chance to get cleaned up."

Maribelle brandished a brush like a weapon, with a fire in her eyes. "Darling, I won't allow them to drag you down like this! It just _isn't right._ You're a _princess_."

"Oh, Maribelle, it's no big deal—"

But Maribelle would not be soothed so easily. She motioned towards the bedroll, hers made with fine linens and silks wrapped in a duvet over the usual wool. She began to gently comb her fingers through Lissa's messy pigtails.

Lissa hummed and kicked her heels. She never could keep still, even in all their poise and manners classes. Maribelle got the twigs out as gently as she could. Afterwards, she would see to it that Lissa had her dresses mended and cleaned, and that she would be taken care of befitting to her station. However, her luxurious hair must be attended to first.

"Honestly, you must have been through some battle," she said.

"I guess you could call it that. Frederick says that Ricken's not allowed to tend the fires anymore," Lissa said. 

"Nothing ever gets you down for long," Maribelle said, her voice full of pride.

"Nope!" Lissa said. "In the end, everything will work out if we work hard enough. She turned to Maribelle with a smile, only to break off as the brush got caught in a tangle.

"Oh, ouch—"

"Be careful, I don't want to pull out your lovely hair," Maribelle said. She began to work through he tangles as softly as she could, with a patience and resolution few had ever seen in her.

"You always kept me on my toes," Lissa said, her voice full of fond nostalgia. "When father died and Emmeryn was too busy to take care of me, and I wouldn't come out of my room for days, you got them to open the door and made the cook bring me food out."

"But of course. I'd go through Plegia and back to take care of you. Naga knows you'd deserve it, and more."

Maribelle stoked her cheek a moment, sharing a smile between them. She bent down, her handiwork done, and leaned towards Lissa.

"You should get changed, for I'm not done with you yet. Just because we've taken to the battlefield doesn't mean we should neglect our studies. Poise is just as important here as in any court. Agility on the dance floor translates to agility avoiding the blade."

Lissa sprung up. Her blonde pigtails were now tangle-free, but they still went every which way. No amount of rose oil could ever tame her hair. "It's probably best that I stay in this one, in case I fall into the dust like last time. Did you know that Chrom actually asked if I'd taken tripping lessons from Sumia!"

In the end, Lissa won over decorum and manners. Maribelle bowed, and held out her hand. "We'll have to work with our own rhythm, without the aid of the harp players this time."

She eagerly took Maribelle's gloved hands in her own, and spun dramatically out of time, until Maribelle could only just keep her from keeling over. She always was full of her own fire and feistiness, so much that she couldn't be tamed so easily.

"Darling—" Maribelle said, as the bedroll tangled under their feet. "Perhaps we should take this– outside–"

The lantern spilled over, and Lissa made a dive for it. They had been seconds away from going up in flames. Lissa giggled, then snorted as she pushed the bedroll and lantern back into place. "It's not as easy as dancing in our rooms."

"A misjudgement on my part," Maribelle said with a sigh. She pushed aside the tent flap and took Lissa's hand again, leading her into the light of the campfire. 

Most had returned to their rooms, though Frederick stayed up, stocking the fire and keeping guard. He was tireless and steadfast as ever in his guardianship of his liege. Truly, he was the epitome of what a knight should be. 

"Hello, Frederick. Still keeping that fire, I see," Lissa said.

"One day he's going to marry that fire," she said under her breath. Even Maribelle had to crack a smile to this. 

"Make sure to not stay up too late, my lady. And don't stray too far from camp; there's no telling how many bandits lurk in these areas," Frederick said.

"Don't worry, Frederick. I'll protect her. If anyone comes close, I'll burn them until they're nothing but bones," Maribelle said.

She motioned to the special satchel she'd had made when she rose to the class of Valkyrie. She couldn't abide with simple and dirty bags, like something a mere messenger would take. Soft white leather with an inflection of gold. Maribelle never allowed herself to be remotely common.

It matched the rest of her gilded silk, the leggings to white boots. The dust of the travel was a terror on her wardrobe, but a lady always managed to survive her surroundings, and not let the dust of the common get her down.

Lissa spun about, her gaze up at the stars.Counting the steps, she took Lissa's hand and began the makings of a waltz, just beyond the reach of the campfire's flames, in the place between light and dark where everything faded to midnight.

The air had grown colder, but where their hands touched, it was much warmer. Maribelle mentally noted to have spun lambs wool gloves made for both of them, and edged with glit embroidery. It wouldn't due to have her Lissa's hands getting cold, especially if they had to take another trip up to the wintery north of Feroxian lands.

"Oh, you're much more agile these days. Good to see you've kept with your lessons," Maribelle said.

"It's all this walking, it really strengthened me up! I barely even get blisters any longer, but that's because everything has hardened into callouses," Lissa said. 

"That's unacceptable. You should have said something earlier. I'll order for some of the finest rose oil for your feet."

"Aww, Maribelle–you always are spoiling me," Lissa said with a laugh.

"Darling, you are a princess among princesses, a queen among queens. You deserve this and more," Maribelle said.

Lissa clutched her hands tight, enough that not even the coldest Feroxian winter could have dispelled that warmth.

"One day, I'll be ladylike enough to spoil you too," Lissa said. She flushed, as if she'd accidentally revealed a secret she'd been sworn to keep.

"While keeping up your studies is admirable, I wouldn't want you to change too much. You're perfect as you are," Lissa said.

"Maybe one day, I'll almost be as perfect as you," Lissa said, blushing even more.

"Darling, you already are," Maribelle said.

Lissa fell silent as they spun under the deep starry sky. Maribelle liked to think that she'd left her utterly speechless. Certainly Lissa had the same effect on her more than once. Quite a feat for someone as sharp-tongued as herself.


End file.
